Rakki, Rakki
by Never Draven
Summary: (Repost) Musashi & Kojiro steal a serum rumored to turn Pokemon human. Now that it's in their hands, what will they do with it? Now that it's been used, what will become of the two rival groups?
1. Chapters 1-3

Author's Notes: This WAS just going to be a stupid yaoi fic, but it kinda blew up into this. I have no idea where it's going but it should be cool. Don't ask me why I wrote a Pokemon fic, though.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
  
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"Rakki, Rakki"  
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"Hey, Musashi, what did you say this stuff does again?" Kojiro asks as he throws a small flask of strangely colored liquid into the air then catches it. "I don't see why we had to go through such trouble just to get some stupid serum."  
  
"Moron." The red-haired girl sighs and slaps her partner in the back of the head. "Be careful with that. According to the man from whom we stole it, this has the power to turn any Pokemon human."  
  
"Oh." The blue-haired lad stops throwing the bottle and, instead, starts to study it. "Why would we want to turn a Pokemon human, though? What good would that do?"  
  
"You really are a moron." Nyase jumps into the conversation while Musashi scrambles for an answer. "If we turn Pikachu to a human, then no one will recognize him. It will be only too easy to take him away from his stupid band of trainers."  
  
"Ah, I see." Kojiro nods thoughtfully. "Hey, wouldn't you want it then, Nyase? Wouldn't you ever want to be human?"  
  
"Sure, I guess." The cat shrugs his shoulders and cups his chin in his paws. "It would be interesting, to say the least."  
  
"Hn." Musashi sighs and gets to her feet. "You guys can stay here and discuss this all you want. I'm going to go see if I can't find some food." She frowns and lays a hand to her bare stomach. "I'm starving."  
  
"Okay. Have fun." Kojiro comments casually as he continues to stare at the strange flask. Musashi glares at his back for a moment before storming off. After a moment, the boy once more glances at the cat creature. "Do you think we'd need the whole flask to turn Pikachu to a human?"  
  
"How should I know?" The cat pokemon grumbles moodily. After a moment, he blinks up at the human. "Er, why do you ask?"  
  
"Just curious." The boy raises a shoulder in a half shrug. "I was thinking that we could sell whatever is left over." He frowns and lays both hands over his stomach. "Musashi is right. I'm starving."  
  
"Moron." Nyase hisses as he takes the flask from the boy's hands. "Something this important shouldn't be in your hands."  
  
"What are you going to do with it?" The boy asks angrily. "Like it's any safer in your hands."  
  
"Of course it is." The cat Pokemon grins and uncorks the bottle's thin neck. At once, Kojiro makes a dive for the flask, but he is too slow. The cat downs the oddly colored liquid in a single gulp. Almost immediately, he groans sickly and falls to all fours. Kojiro, amazed that Nyase had actually drunk the liquid merely stands by as the cat's body elongates and changes. In an amazingly short space of time, an entirely new creature stands before him.   
  
This creature is humanoid. It stands on two legs and, at its sides, hang two arms. It has a long fur-free torso and chest. Its legs are long and hairless; each ended in a normal human foot. Its face is human as well with all the normal human features: a thin lipped mouth, a smallish nose, and a pair of large dark blue eyes. Topping all this is a messy mane of pale cream hair, each strand ended in a splash of brown. At either side of his head stands an erect ear colored in cream and brown and from its backside hangs a long cream and brown tail.  
  
"N-nyase?" The shocked boy stammers as he takes in the sight before him. "Is that really you?"  
  
"Of course it is." The cream-haired boy mutters. "Who else would it be?"  
  
Nyase, suprised that the liquid hadn't been something foul like poison or knockout juice, turns this way and that in order to take in his newly human form. He smiles at what he sees; he makes as good a human as he did a cat. Meanwhile, Kojiro continues to stare on in silent suprise. No one notices as Musashi finally makes her way back to their camp.  
  
"Hey guys, look what I fo--" She stops, the fruit she had found falling from her hands. She blinks at the strange naked lad then turns a confused expression to Kojiro. "Um...who is that?"  
  
"That?" Kojiro nods towards Nyase and Musashi nods. "That's Nyase."  
  
"What were you thinking?" Musashi groans as she glances at the two boys then turns a heated glare to her blue-haired partner. "How could you let him drink that serum?"  
  
"It's not like I had much choice!" Kojiro responds angrily before turning petulant. "I tried to stop him, but he was too fast."  
  
"Hey, why are you treating this as if it were a bad thing?" The newly humanized pokemon asks. "I can be just as useful like this as I was before."  
  
"Sure." Musashi crosses her arms and nods. "But don't you remember that Sakakki wanted the serum? Remember the whole thing about bringing it back to Headquarters or being fired and getting thrown out?"  
  
"You worry too much." The cream-haired boy chuckles and makes a waving away gesture. "We'll just convince that doctor to make some more."  
  
"Think it'd be that easy?" The blue-haired Roketto Dan member asks as he crunches into an apple from Musashi's horde. "The doctor didn't seem too happy with us when we left last time."  
  
"Just leave it to me." Nyase grins. "I can get it, no problem." He blinks his dark blue eyes, then, and glances down at himself. A moment later, he glances at the other two. "Erm, as long as you guys have some clothes that I can borrow."  
  
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Chapter 2: Science is Fun!  
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The following day, a group of three walks merrily down the main road of the small town. The one in the lead is a shortish ten year old. His rather unruly ebony hair is mostly hidden under a red and white cap while the rest of him is hidden in a black shirt, jeans, and a blue and white jacket. A step or two behind him walks a youngish girl with bright orange hair pulled into a single ponytail at the side of her head. She doesn't seem pleased at all with things, but, regardless, she continues to walk a step or two behind the dark haired boy. Beside her, a young amber skinned lad walks slowly. It's difficult to say what color his eyes are, but his hair is defintely rich brown in color and cut in a spiky manner. Across his back is slung a green backpack.   
  
"Hey, are you sure that you know what you're doing?" The girl asks of the boy walking in front of her. "It seems kind of weak to me."  
  
"Trust me." The dark-haired lad grins. "I know what I'm doing. This'll be easy."  
  
"He always says that." The amber-skinned youth sighs. "And we always end up being defeated."  
  
"Tell me about it." The girl nods her head and crosses her arms. "It's starting to get old."  
  
"Will you two shut up?!" The boy in the lead grumbles as he stops before a rather large building. Glancing up at the sign, he grins. "We're here. Just remember what I told you, okay?"  
  
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In a rather stark lab, a neon green lab coat cloaked figure whispers about. The figure pauses before a gleaming set of test tubes and beakers and such. He tinkers with these a bit, but, not getting the desired reaction, sighs and moves along. Finally, he steps up to an oblong table and, with an audible sigh, slumps into a handy chair. Unfortunately, he doesn't hear the people walking up behind them until the leader decides to speak.  
  
"Professor Forrester, I presume?" The baseball capped youth asks as he steps forward and takes the doctor by a shoulder.   
  
"That's right." The Professor, seeming unhappy at the intrustion, nods curtly. He is tallish and wraith thin. His hair is a dark brown bush growing wildly from the top of his head. His hazel eyes peer out weakly from behind a set of neon green glasses. He glares at the boy before him before turning the same to those standing behind the boy. "What do you want?"  
  
"Oh sorry!" The boy chuckles and rubs at the back of his head. "I'm Satoshi. I believe Professor Okido told you I was coming."  
  
"Right." Forrester nods and pushes his glasses higher up on his nose. "So you've come for the serum? How do I know you'll really give it to Okido and not use it for your own purposes?"  
  
"Why would he do that?" The amber-skinned lad pipes up. "We don't even know what it's capable of. For all we know, it could be some terrible poison or something."  
  
"I doubt it'd be poison, Takeshi." The redhead growls and gives him a light glare. "Okido wouldn't want something like that."  
  
"Oh right." Takeshi chuckles and rubs at the back of his head. "Of course not."  
  
"Just ignore them." Satoshi whispers to the Professor and grins. "Anyway, I don't really want to know what the serum is. I just want to go see Professor Okido so that I can drop off a few excess Pokemon."  
  
"Hmm.." The professor peers closely at the boy for a few seconds before shrugging. "Alright, fine. It'd be your trouble if you use it anyway." Turning, he picks up a stopped flask and hands it to the boy. "Here. Just be sure not to drop it or anything."  
  
"Hey, why did you say it'd be my trouble if I use it?" Satoshi asks quietly. "What would happen?"  
  
"Nevermind that." The redhead sighs and, taking the boy's arm, begins to drag him from the room. "Thanks, Professor Forrester. We'll give this to Okido right away!"  
  
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"Why did you do that?" The baseball capped youth screams at the girl. "I want to know why it'd be trouble for someone to take the serum!"  
  
"Don't worry about." The redhead shakes her head. "He was probably just trying to scare us."  
  
"Yea." Takeshi nods. "Not that it's all that important.."  
  
"Not important!" Satoshi screams and lunges at the other. "Are you trying to say that I'm not important?!"  
  
"Guys.." The redhead sighs and grabs both of the guys by their shirts. "Stop this. We have to hurry and change. It won't be long until that brat and his friends get here and we have a lot to do yet."  
  
"Fine." Satoshi sighs and removes the cap from his head. "But I'm going to make that professor tell me all about the serum."  
  
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Chapter 3: "C-Changes?!"  
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A short while later, a troupe of three trudges gamely along the now busy street. The group, as a whole, seems to give off the air of someone that has been on a long and endless journey, despite the young ages of all involved. The boy in lead, a shortish lad with rather untamed ebony hair and a small yellow creature at his heel, smiles at those that walk past. He seems to be reveling in every moment of his journey. The girl a step behind him, a tallish redhead cradling a small egg-shaped creature in her arms, looks both tired and worn out yet also seems willing to follow the dark-haired boy anywhere he may go. Beside her, a deeply tanned lad walks at any easy gait and seems to be eying every cute girl that walks past.  
  
"Hey, Satoshi." The redhead pauses in front of a non-descript building and blinks at the boy's back. "Isn't this the place that we're supposed to stop?"  
  
"Eh?" The boy blinks at her over his shoulder for a moment before quickly turning, running back, and glancing up at the building. After a moment, he grins and nods. "Oh yea, this is the place. I told you I could find it!"  
  
"Oh yea." The redhead sighs and turns her head aside. "Your sense of direction is almost as well honed as your common sense."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"You know very well.."  
  
"Guys?" The older boy finally speaks up. "Why don't we stop arguing and just go inside?"  
  
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After a short time of wandering the many halls of the large complex, the three finally stumble across the lab for which they had been looking. They step inside and take a short inventory: It's rather spotless for a well used lab and most of the beakers and test tubes seem to be empty of any sort of experimental substances. The cages in which are usually kept test animals are all empty as well, as are many of the oblong tables. Curious at this, but eager to finish his mission, Satoshi walks deeper into the lab in search of the professor.   
  
"What are you kids doing here?" A voice demands as a form steps out from between two tables. This form is no taller than Takeshi but is more delicate of build. This build is hidden fairly well beneath a brilliant neon green lab coat that hangs to just past the man's knees. A pair of large blue eyes peer out at the lad from behind the lenses of a pair of neon green glasses. As Satoshi stumbles for an answer, the man continues. "Unless...are you those kids that Okido told me would be coming?"  
  
"That's right!" The redhead nods as she steps up behind the black-haired boy. "This is Satoshi." She nods at the boy before her. "He's Takeshi." She motions to the lad standing behind her. "And I'm Kasumi. Professor Okido told us that you had something for him?"  
  
"And who's this cute little creature?" The man asks as he crouches down by the small yellow pokemon at Satoshi's heel. Without waiting for an answer, he reaches out and gently takes the mousey creature into his arms. Suprisingly, Pikachu doesn't resist in the slightest. "It's been a long time since I've seen such a tame creature."  
  
"That's Pikachu." Satoshi answers proudly. "He's my favorite Pokemon and a good friend."  
  
"Mm." The professor nods and gets to his feet. "You must be treating him well for him to be acting so calmly. Say, would you mind if I take a look at him for a minute? I've been trying to get some basic data on all the Pokemon and have yet to see such a well behaved Pikachu."  
  
"I don't know..." Kasumi answers for the lad. "Pikachu doesn't really like being away from Satoshi."  
  
"Don't worry!" The dark-haired lad grins and makes a waving away gesture. "Pikachu seems to like him well enough and, besides, it'll only be for a minute."  
  
"Great!" The professor grins. "I'll send one of my technicians in with the serum that Professor Okido wants. He should be able to answer all of your questions."  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
"Hey, what's taking the doctor so long?" Satoshi sighs and kicks his legs against the side of the desk upon which he is sitting. "It feels like it's been hours."  
  
"It has been at least an hour." Kasumi nods before turning to the lab assistant. "What do you think is taking so long?"  
  
"Couldn't say." The blue-haired lab assitant lifts a shoulder in a half-shrug. "Maybe the creature's being more of a problem than Professor Forrester had thought he'd be."  
  
"No way!" The dark-haired boy quickly shakes his head and slides off of the desk. "Pikachu's never any trouble. I'd better go see what's going on."  
  
"No, wait!"   
  
"I'm sorry, kid." A second lab assistant shakes her head as she steps out of the door through which Forrester had gone. "The Professor needs some time alone with your creature. Unfortunately, he found a rare disease in the poor Pokemon's blood and he's decided to start treatment right away. To do this, he'll need absolute peace and quiet."  
  
"Pikachu is sick?!" Satoshi's face suddenly floods with a mixture of worry and doubt. "Then, I have to see him."  
  
"No." The second lab assistant continues to block access to the door. "I told you, the professor needs peace and quiet. You can't just go barging in there. I'm sorry, but you'll just have to wait."  
  
"Hey, I have an idea." The blue-haired assistant chimes in. "Why don't you all go to the hotel that's down the street and take a little rest? We'll get in contact with you as soon as the Professor's finished."  
  
"I don't know.." Satoshi frowns and hangs his head. "I hate being away from Pikachu, especially if he's sick."  
  
"C'mon, Satoshi." Kasumi smiles gently and lays a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure it's nothing serious. We'd probably best leave the Professor alone for now. I'm sure Pikachu will be back where he belongs before the day is out."  
  
"Well....." The lad seems to ponder this a moment before reluctantly nodding. "Okay."  
  
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"I can't believe how easy that was!" The professor grins as he bends to glance more closely at the mouse pokemon. "I knew the boy was slow, but I never thought he'd be that easy to fool."  
  
Pikachu, sitting comfortably on an oversized cushion, blinks his beady black eyes at the man. In his little pokemon brain, he doesn't feel any real need to be weary of this human. Sure, there's something odd about him, but, then again, there is also something odd about Satoshi. Besides, he seems nice enough and the others are just outside the door. What does he have to be nervous about?  
  
"Hey, you look thirsty." The lab coat clad man turns and picks up a bowl of sweet-smelling liquid. "Why don't you drink some of this?"  
  
The man sets the bowl down and Pikachu sniffs at it for a moment before shrugging his tiny shoulders and lapping at the stuff. As the sweet, syrup-thick liquid trickles down his throat, the mouse creature finds himself drinking all the more eagerly. This stuff is good!  
  
The bowl finished, Pikachu settles back with a contented sigh. Just as he is settling back to rest, he notices a stabbing pain coursing through his body. Squeaking with consternation, he leaps to his feet then to the tiled floor. He hardly takes a step before the pain causes him to pause and collapse. As his body hits the cold floor, the Pokemon's body elongates and changes.   
  
In an amazingly short span of time, a new creature stands before the professor.   
  
  



	2. Chapters 4 & 5

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Chapter 4: "Of Mice and Men"  
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"P-Pikachu?"   
  
The new creature squeaks its familiar phrase, but even this sounds odd coming from its human mouth. Pikachu, like Nyase, has become a more humanized version of his pokemon self. He stands maybe a head shorter than the other though his body is more full and muscular than that of the cat pokemon. His arms and legs are short, but fully human; each is ended in either a normal hand or foot, as appropriate. His golden hair falls in a neat cascade to his shoulders and topples easily over the paleness of his forehead. At either side of his head stands a slightly tapered golden ear tipped in jet black. His face is fully human, as well, containing a set of large pearl black eyes, a slightly large nose, and a full lipped mouth.   
  
"Is that all you can say for yourself?" The professor grins and crosses his arms over the front of his lab coat. "I would have expected a more joyous reaction.."  
  
"Pikachu!" The humanized mouse pokemon repeats uncertainly. "P-pikachu?"  
  
"No way..." The professor, shucking the coat and glasses, takes a slow walk around the creature before bending in order to peer more closely into its face. "Don't tell me that you can't talk! Stupid mouse pokemon..."  
  
"Pika!" Pikachu exclaims angrily. As he does so, an electric glow seems to burst forward from his chipmunk cheeks. "Pikachu!"  
  
"Okay, okay!" Nyase, knowing well what could be coming, takes a quick step back and attempts his most disarming grin; Pikachu doesn't seem entirely swayed. "Well, at least I know it works, even if you can't talk."  
  
"Pikachu!" The blond glares at Nyase for a moment or two before heading for the door. If anyone would know what to do, it'd probably be Satoshi...or one of the others. It's not like he has any right to stay as a human, or any desire to do so. He's a mouse pokemon and that's what he should be. The humanized pokemon pauses briefly when he notices the other's hand on his shoulder, but refuses to turn. "Pika?"  
  
"C'mon. I know we've had disagreements in the past, Pikachu, but things are different now." Grinning, Nyase turns the blond so that they are face to face. "Why go back to those humans? Loyalty? Feh, it's not like Satoshi wants you for anything besides the glory you supply upon winning battles. You mean even less to those two others. Face it, kid, no one cares for you, especially not those brats that you follow around." With an exaggerated sigh, Nyase releases his grip on the blond's shoulders and walks across the room. "Go back to them, if you want, but you should know that this is going to change everything. I'm sure they're just going to see you as a freak now. They'll probably abandon you somewhere along the line. You'll end up alone in the middle of nowhere. You'll probably die cold and alone in the wilderness. Sounds fun, eh?"  
  
"Pika?" The former mouse pokemon slowly blinks his dark eyes. He knows what the other is saying can't be true; Satoshi's his best friend and honestly cares for him, no matter what form he may take. Nyase's doubtlessly lying for his own ends. After all, doesn't Satoshi constantly try to keep him out of Roketto Dan's hands? He wouldn't do that if Pikachu means nothing more than a useless weapon. He wouldn't. He wouldn't.   
  
"Hey, no need to look so upset." Nyase, trying to fight down the grin rising to his lips, once more crosses to the uncertain blond and drapes his long arm around the other's shoulders. "I felt the same way when I first thought it through. Look on the bright side, kid. You really aren't alone. I'm in the same boat as you are. Why don't we band together, for now?"  
  
"Pikachu..." Pikachu glances sidelong at his long-time enemy. A thousand conflicting thoughts run through his small, mousey brain, but, somehow, the other's words seem to make the utmost sense. Thrown into a new situation, it would be best to have someone in a similar mess. But he can't trust Nyase! But he can't trust Satoshi and the others. How would they react to this new turn of events? Would they really abandon him? No, Satoshi wouldn't allow that. He wouldn't.   
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
"Hey, Musashi." Kojiro lifts his head from the cradle of his arms and glances at the redhead sitting opposite him. "How long do you think Nyase's going to be in there?"  
  
"How should I know?" Musashi lifts a single thin shoulder in a half shrug as she turns her pretty dark blue eyes to the door. "I hope it's soon, though. Those brats'll probably come looking for their lost pokemon before too much longer." As if on cue, the group of three bursts through the door and storms over to the pair sitting at the table. With minimum interest, the redhead glances at the group. "What do you guys want?"  
  
"I want my Pikachu back." Satoshi answers. "Even if he's sick, I want him back. Maybe I can help him."  
  
"I doubt it." The redhead answers with a faint shake of her head. "The professor was very specific about it. No one's to go in until he's finished running his tests."  
  
"Hey, Musashi." Kojiro once more glances at the girl. "Maybe we should let them in to see him. It's been quite a long time and you'd think that he'd tell us what's going on, right?"  
  
"Kojiro!" The girl glares at the boy and shakes her head. Sometimes he just seems as dull as a worn butter knife, but what can she do? Quickly, she gets to her feet and rounds on the group of children. To her complete suprise, they don't seem affected by the blue-haired lad's revelation.   
  
"So?" The black haired boy blinks his eyes at her. "Can we go in, then, or what?"  
  
As Musashi scrambles for an answer, she notices the sharp sound of breaking glass coming from the examination room and, before she can react, the three children run past her. Upon entering the room, the red-head stops short and stares in silent suprise at the broken window.   
  
"Hey, where are they?" Kasumi mutters angrily as she rounds on the two adults. "I thought you said that they'd be in here."  
  
"Yea." Kojiro nods and crosses to the broken window. "We thought that they would be. I guess they went out through the window."  
  
"What's going on?!" Kasumi demands angrily. "What are you two up to now?"  
  
"Hey!" Kojiro rounds on the girl and holds up his hands. "We have no idea, either. We just thought that Nyase would give Pikachu the serum then come and get us. I guess we were wrong."  
  
"So this was just a plot to get Pikachu?" Satoshi blinks in confusion and looks to any of the group in hopes that they would explain. "Is that what you're trying to say?"  
  
"Well, originally, it was." Musashi nods slowly. "I guess Nyase had plans of his own, though."  
  
"Right." Kasumi nods skeptically. "And neither of you know what's going on. Give me a break. How stupid do you think we are?"  
  
"Do you want the real answer to that?" The mauve-haired Roketto Dan member questions the girl.   
  
"Just try it." Kasumi grins and draws a Pokeball from her pocket. "I wouldn't mind beating you for the millionth time."  
  
"Oh yea?" Musashi returns the redhead's grin as she draws her own Pokeball. "I wouldn't mind taking you down a few notches. It could be really fun."  
  
"C'mon, Kasumi..." Takeshi positions himself between the two girls and takes the redhead by her shoulders. "Now's not the time to fight. We have to find Pikachu."  
  
"And we have to find Nyase." Kojiro reminds his partner. "So, let's just leave the brats go and start looking for him."  
  
"Wait a minute." Satoshi, finally starting from his long lapse of silence, glances at the others. "So Pikachu wasn't really sick?"  
  
"No." Musashi shakes her head. "He wasn't sick at all. We just told you that so that you'd leave him with us."  
  
"Ah." The confused lad, a pleased look crossing his features, nods. "Good. So where is he, then?"  
  
"Ugh." Musashi groans as she half-collapses against a handy wall. "I can't believe he's really that stupid. Listen, kid, Nyase took your beloved Pokemon, fed him a serum, then ran off to gods-know-where. Did any of that get through your thick skull?"  
  
"So...Pikachu isn't here?" Satoshi comments slowly. "Then where is he?"  
  
"We don't know." The mauve-haired woman comments through clenched teeth. "That's why I said that he ran off to gods-know-where and not Musashi-knows-where."  
  
"Wait a minute." Kasumi once more glances at the woman. "What is this serum your Nyase gave to Pikachu?"  
  
"Why should we tell you that?" Musashi grins and crosses her arms. "It's more amusing if you don't know."  
  
"Hey, I have an idea." Kojiro speaks after a long period of tense silence. "Why don't we work together?"  
  
"What a stupid idea!" Kasumi exclaims. "Why would we want to do that?"  
  
"Well, think about it." The blue-haired lad crosses his arms over his chest and sits in the window sill. "We're both looking for our Pokemon and, chances are, the two are together. We know what the serum does while you all do not. Together we might be able to find them, but if we each go on our own the chances are really slim. So, what do you say?"  
  
"I really don't like it." Kasumi grumbles and turns her back to the boy. "I don't see how we can trust either of you."  
  
"Fine then." Musashi shrugs and walks to the window. "Have fun searching. I doubt if you'll ever see your beloved Pikachu again."  
  
"Wait!" Satoshi cries. "If you can lead us to Pikachu then we'll go with you! Please?"  
  
  
  
  
===================  
Chapter 3: "Another Roller in the Night"  
===================  
  
In the alley adjacent to the building in which the humans argue, Nyase slowly clambers to his feet and belatedly questions the wiseness of leaping from a third story window.   
  
'Well,' He thinks with a slight grin as he checks himself for injury. 'At least I wasn't hurt. Things could be worse.'  
  
"Pika." The golden haired lad still sprawled on the ground groans. Unfortunately, he had been the one to break the window and thus took the brunt of the damage from the fall. He slowly opens his dark eyes only to see a pool of crimson spreading around him. Concern outweighing pain, Pikachu bolts upright and glances at the blood-splattered ground then at his own body.   
  
From what Pikachu can see, he doesn't seem that badly injured. His bare torso and arms are badly scored with scratches and stained lightly with his blood. His lower stomach and legs are only lightly scratched and bruised. Feeling at his face, he notices a few small gashes; nothing life-threatening, at least.   
  
"Hey, you look pretty beat up." Nyase chuckles. "Maybe you should have thought twice before diving through that window."  
  
"Pika." The blond nods ruefully before glancing down at himself, blinking, then glancing back at his companion. "Pika. Pika-Pikachu?"  
  
"Hmm?" The cream-haired boy's grin seems to spread into one set to rival that of the Cheshire Cat. "What's wrong, Pikachu? Timmy fall in a well? We all out of milk? You want to go out for walksies?"  
  
"Pika!" Pikachu glares at the other for a moment then repeats what he had just said, this time making meaningful gestures to his unclothed body. "Pikachu."  
  
"Ah, I see." Nyase nods. "You want some clothes. I think I can handle that. Why don't you stay here while I go find you some?"  
  
"Pika." Pikachu answers unhappily as he watches the other wander out of the alley and out into the street.  
  
-----------------------------  
  
Nyasu and the now-clothed Pikachu step out into the busy street and begin to amble slowly down the walk. Despite the fact that neither of them have been human for more than a few hours, each seems to be able to cope in his own way.   
  
Nyase smiles at the humans that pass him. He enjoys the fact that not a one of them gives him a second glance. To them, he's nothing more than a teen out for a little walk with his friend. He can't help but wonder, though, what would happen should he remove the baseball cap perched atop his head and reveal his cat ears to any who would care to see. Would they scream? Would they run away? Would they just give him an odd look and hurry on their way? Would that little girl holding so tightly to her father's hand stare at him with fright in her wide emerald eyes or would there be delight there, instead?  
  
Pikachu, on the other hand, glances at all around him with waning hope. He had thought, initially, that going with Nyase could lead him to some sort of solution, a way out of this mess. Now, as he glances sidelong at his companion, he can see that the former cat pokemon has no real idea of what to do nor does it seem that he's in any sort of hurry to solve this new situation. Maybe he should have just stayed back at the lab....  
  
"Hey, Pikachu." Nyase pauses before a rather beat up car and turns back to the blond. "Think we should take a car? It might make our trip a little easier."  
  
"Pika." The blond quickly shakes his head and gives the car a mistrustful glare. "Pika-pika-Pikachu."  
  
"Oh fine." The cream-haired boy sighs. He would have argued it further had he not noticed the odd stares some of the passersby were giving his blond companion. Making a point to appear put out, Nyase trudges away from the car. "We'll just walk if that's how you want it."  
  
"Pika." Pikachu, happy at his victory, nods and falls into step beside the other. After a moment of silence, he glances at Nyase. "Pika? Pika-pika-Pikachu. Pikachu."  
  
"Don't know." Nyase shrugs in response to the the blond's question. "I guess we could head back to Headquarters, though I doubt that you'd be too fond of that course of action."  
  
"Pika." The blond answered sternly. "Pika-pikachu."  
  
"Thought so." Nyase responds with a half-grin. "Well, then let's just continue to walk. We'll know what we should do when we get where we need to be."  
  
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"I guess he was right." Nyase murmurs. His wide blue eyes are fixed upon the form curled up on the other side of the fire. Despite the unsteady light, the former cat pokemon can easily see the pain etched upon Pikachu's features. Forrester had been right. The serum is dangerous and he should have never drunk it. How long will it be before he, too, falls ill?  
  
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A soft groan rips from Pikachu's ragged throat and calls Nyase back from the dreams that had befallen him. Annoyed, he glares at the man. The blond has hugged his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around these. His head is bowed so that his cheek lies against his upraised knees. His hair hangs in a sweated clump against his flushed face, but does nothing to obscure the pained expression so clear on the lad's features.   
  
"Oh, just quit it." Nyase grumbles as he once more lies down and tugs the ragged cover over his body. "You're just trying to make me feel bad and it won't work. You're probably just sick from all the food you ate."  
  
Though his tone is confident, the cream-haired boy knows only too well that it couldn't possibly be that. They had gathered some fruit for dinner, but Pikachu had barely eaten more than a mouthful. Nyase, on the verge of starving, had happily eaten all that the blond had left without a second thought. It hadn't meant anything to him at the time, but now he could see that as the first sign that something was going wrong.   
  
"Oh, forget it." Nyase scolds himself as he forces his eyes to close. "He'll surely feel better by morning."  
  
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Nyase didn't have to wait until the following morning, though, to see that Pikachu is far from being better.   
  
As night nears dawn, the man is once more awoken by his companion's cries. He stumbles groggily to a sitting position and is about to gripe when his eyes fall upon the sickened blond. Pikachu hasn't moved a muscle since last Nyase bothered to look at him, but one feature has changed; Pikachu's eyes are now open and, like lumps of coal set in a furnace, burn brightly in his sick-pale face. They are fixed on Nyase's features, but don't seem as if they are taking in anything before him. No, they'd be too lost in his fever dreams and hallucinations.   
  
"Pikachu?" The cream-haired boy murmurs as he crawls over to the blond. Even when he places a tentative hand to Pikachu's forehead, Nyase notes no change in the countenance of the other. He frowns deeply. "Okay, kid. This isn't funny anymore. Big joke. C'mon sit up and quit it with the dramatics."  
  
"Pika?" The blond manages in a very dry and raspy voice. His fever-bright eyes turn slowly to glance at the suspected source of the voice, but don't seem to take in the fact that there is a face there. Instead, they seem to stare right through the cream-haired man. "Pika..."  
  
"Damnit, Pikachu, this isn't funny!" Nyase grumbles as he grabs the blond by the front of his sweat soaked shirt; Pikachu's head rolls limply at the end of his neck and his eyes stare sightlessly into the star studded sky. With a frustrated sigh, the former cat pokemon releases the sick man and glares down at his limp form. "So what now? I can't take him back like this. I can't continue on. Maybe I should just go back and see if Forrestor knows anything that can be done."  
  
"Pika!" The sick man exclaims in a voice filled with complete and mortal terror. His hands fumble out then latch onto Nyase's arms. His grip is like that of a drowning man clasping with the last of his strength at a crumbling raft. "Pika! Pika! Pikachu!"  
  
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"Are we there yet?" Kojiro whines as he trudges heavily behind the rest of the group. "It feels like we've been walking for days. I'm tired and sore. Can we rest now?"  
  
"Will you stop it?" Kasumi mutters. "We've only been walking for an hour. I thought you Roketto Dan people were supposed to be tough."  
  
"We are tough." Musashi answers sternly. "Kojiro's just a big wuss. Just ignore him and he'll stop."  
  
"So much for company loyalty." The blue-haired teen mumbles. "First Nyase and now her. What's ne--" The lad stops short upon hearing a loud rustling in a nearby clump of brush. Clamping onto the arm of the person closest to him, he ignores Kasumi's annoyed glance and points into the now faintly swaying foliage. "Something's in there!"  
  
"So?" The redhead shrugs her shoulders and does her best to untangle herself from Kojiro's grip. "It's probably just some small fuzzy woodland creature. Nothing to be worried over."  
  
"Who you calling a small fuzzy woodland creature?" A thin boy with cream-colored hair mutters as he steps out of the thick underbrush. "Besides that, what took you so long?"  
  
"Nyase!" The two Roketto Dan memebers exclaim upon recognizing the creature. Kojiro's expression registers a mixture of suprise and pleasure while Musashi just seems annoyed. She's the next one to speak. "What do you think you're doing? Why'd you leave like that?"  
  
"Nyase?" Satoshi blinks at the teen then quickly shakes his head. "What did you do with Pikachu? Where is he?"  
  
"Pikachu?" The former cat Pokemon widens his eyes then quickly turns his face aside in order to disguise his guilty expression. "Er, he's back at camp. I'm not so sure if you guys should go see him, th--"  
  
"Pikachu's back at your camp?" Satoshi's eyes widen and fill with happiness at the thought of reuniting with his friend. "Then, take us there!"  
  
"Er, I don't know...." Nyase stalls. "He's...."  
  
"You heard him." Kasumi scolds. "So, take us to your camp."  
  
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"Pikachu?" Satoshi murmurs softly upon setting eyes upon the blond man curled close to the remains of last night's fire. His eyes wide and full of disbelief, he turns to Nyase. "Is that really....Pikachu?"  
  
"Yea." The former cat pokemon nods. "That's him."  
  
The boy nods quietly and, with a great deal of uncertainty, crosses to the obviously unwell form. Dropping to his knees, he brushes a bit of the wet hair from the blond's face then allows his hand to fall limp to his lap. So many thoughts crossing his mind. Pikachu as a human, so that's what the serum did. But what did Nyase do to put Pikachu in this state? Why did Pikachu go along with Nyase? Is it because he had no choice? Is it really Pikachu?  
  
"Pika..." The blond murmurs weakly as he slowly opens his sickly pearl black eyes. Upon focusing on the face hovering just over him, his features show happiness distilled. A smile pulling at the corner of his dry and cracked lips, Pikachu's hand gropes upward in search of that of his friend. Faint worry in his eyes until Satoshi reaches across and takes the clammy offering in his hand. The blond's tentative smile grows. "Pikachu..."  
  
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"What did you do to him?" Kasumi demands as she stares into Nyase's wide sapphire eyes. "How did you make him so sick?"  
  
"I didn't do anything!" The lad responds stridently. "It's that stupid serum. The doctor said that we shouldn't use it. I guess he knew what he was talking about, after all."  
  
"So, that's what happens, eh?" Musashi murmurs to herself. "What a price to pay."  
  
"The doctor?" The redhead blinks. "You mean Professor Forrester? He told you not to use it yet you went ahead and gave it to Pikachu, regardless?"  
  
"Yea." Nyase nods. "But I really didn't think anything like this would happen. I thought he was just trying to scare us, you know?"  
  
"Well, I guess you were wrong." Kasumi answers shortly as she turns to glance at her friend and his Pokemon. It's hard to see Satoshi's features as his back is turned to her, but she can easily see the pain and weakness on the face of Pikachu. After a moment, she turns back to Nyase. "Fine. We're going back to Forrester's lab and we're going to get the professor to tell us what to do."  
  
"There's no point in doing that." Satoshi whispers tearfully as he slowly gets to his feet. "Pikachu's dead."  
  
  
  



End file.
